


you should never know how easy you are to need

by tielan



Series: The Taming Of The Wild [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, F/M, Slice of Life, relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 12:29:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5785369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tielan/pseuds/tielan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’s the paperwork, the duty, the chore – not someone that anyone seeks out. Responsibility isn’t fun, necessity isn’t glamourous, and nobody ever wants to stay around for clean-up. She does her job and she has all the interest factor of a grey cloud in a blue sky – people are mostly hoping she’ll go away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you should never know how easy you are to need

**Author's Note:**

> An anon asked for "captain hill au + hoziers it will come back". It's taken everything I had of the last few days to write even this much.

People don’t generally want to be nice to Maria Hill.

She’s the paperwork, the duty, the chore – not someone that anyone seeks out. Responsibility isn’t fun, necessity isn’t glamourous, and nobody ever wants to stay around for clean-up. She does her job and she has all the interest factor of a grey cloud in a blue sky – people are mostly hoping she’ll go away.

And so she has no resistance to kindness.

* * *

 

 

When does Maria realise it’s more than mere courtesy?

Maybe after DC, after she crashes and burns Captain America in the name of world security, for the sake of three million (thirty-three million, three billion) souls who will never know how close they came to being snuffed out in the name of order.

Maybe when he comes to see her in her new office at SI and says simply, “Thanks for doing it.”

Maybe when she replies, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t ask it of me again.”

“If I have to, I will. You know that.”

“And if _I_ have to, _I_ will. You know that, too.”

“So we understand each other.”

“Clearly, Captain.”

He hesitates, then lifts his chin. “You called me by name, Maria.”

“Under duress.”

“Can I—Is there a situation where you’re not under duress where I could…” He winces. “Never mind.”

She stares at him a long moment. “Say it.”

He doesn’t – not with words. But the movement of his mouth against hers speaks clearly enough. And her mouth moving back against his is a reply that satisfies him.

* * *

 

When does Maria realise it’s not just sex?

Perhaps when she itches to call him and complain about her day. Perhaps when Steve rolls into her in bed and she doesn’t push him away. Perhaps when he brings her a wrap from Turkey – soft silk and bright colours.

Her fingers splay in the weave; it hides the tremble of her hands.

“You’re always cold in the office, so I thought a wrap—” His brows draw together. “You don’t like it?”

“No, that’s not—” She swirls it around her shoulders to gain a moment’s grace, to gain the composure to say, “It’s beautiful,” without a break in her voice.

Steve rubs her knee, a touch as warm and sensuous as his smile. “It suits you.”

Then, as she blinks, he pushes himself up and tilts her chin so her mouth meets his. And Maria melts into his kiss, into the brush of calloused fingers, into the intimate communion of flesh and desire.

Later, with his hand resting light on her hip and his breath steady at her nape, Maria aches.

She has no defence against tenderness.

* * *

 

When does she realise it has to end?

Is it when she sees astonishment in Pepper’s face as Steve kisses her on his way out without thinking? Is it when Sharon smiles at him with an engaging charm and he grins back? Is it when he tells Tony he’ll never stand for Registration, and storms out?

Stark arches his brows. “You’re not going to follow him?”

She wants to.

Something in her yearns to follow Steve out; but the duty she owes to six billion souls keeps her in her seat.

“How, exactly, would this work?”

Later, afterwards, she watches Steve work out against the punching bag. And wishes she could be the woman who would just follow his lead.

“Did he make any more sense at the end?”

“I see what he’s getting at.” It’s not quite a hedge, but it’s close. “He wants security for the world.”

“But not like this.” Steve turns to her, his gaze burning her. “Not at this price.”

Her thoughts clog her throat, her desires stopping her mouth. He’s a force she can’t control; an influence she can’t mitigate. She’s given him more pieces than she should already.

He makes it too easy to need him.


End file.
